Many Most of us are aware…we use our phones too much. And we’re similarly aware of the most popular past time within this overuse – checking in with social media.
Experts have already postulated some of the consequences of this constant social media barrage. We’re sleeping less, because our glowing screens are keeping our brains awake. We’re constantly comparing ourselves and our lives to others, which might make us depressed or stressed. And we’re probably being rude to those we’re actually spending time with in real life.
But what if social media, and our constant need to check in, is actually changing our brains and the ways that we focus, or are able to focus.
Lizz Pietrus, of digital ad firm R/GA, and Dr. Michael Pietrus, of the University of Chicago, will be exploring just that in their upcoming SXSW Interactive panel, We’re All ADHD: Social Media and Attention Disorders.
While Dr. Pietrus is clear that he doesn’t believe social media is causing ADHD outright, he says that, “it seems clear that social media and various other technology mediums present very attractive and compelling distractions that are difficult to ignore, especially as [those] behaviors are reinforced and rewarded…”
One issue the panel hopes to address is the explosion in diagnoses of ADHD and other attention disorders in the U.S. over the past 15 years. Pietrus says many things might be at play in this increase, including technological advances.
“Social media, and the internet as a whole, provides a growing and seemingly infinite platform for […] information and experiences that constantly challenge our finite abilities to organize, attend and comprehend.”
When asking questions about the brain and the ways in which behavior can affect it, we enter the realm of neuroplasticity study. This research focuses on the changes that can happen in our brain in response to our environment or behavior, or even our emotions or thought processes.
“What we’re learning about research on neuroplasticity is that our brain grows and changes based on our experiences. Not only are we able to create new neurons and form new pathways, but our beliefs and our actions can dramatically alter brain chemistry and composition. For these reasons […] it seems clear to me that our use of various social and online media can also affect our neurocognitive abilities, and contribute to functional impairments.”
The idea that online media has contributed, or could contribute, to difficulties with attention and focus has gained some traction in the field. Pietrus believes this is because it seems intuitive to many people. Most people have personal experience with social media and know the kinds of behavior often associated with it. He believes awareness of the ways people spend their time will help lead to a more holistic approach to attention issues.
And, while much of attention and focus disorder research is targeted at young adults, Pietrus says the cycles of engagement and reward can impact and overwhelm people of all ages.
“[This is] because they hit at core facets of the human experience like connectedness, learning, pleasure and the issues of the self.”
Another area within social media that has the potential to negatively impact users is the creation and curation of the “personal brand.” Pietrus believes this branding of ourselves can take incredible amounts of time and energy, as well as create unrealistic personal expectations.
“The calculated approach to self expression [taking place on social media] requires a high level of attention and intention to manage. There’s a tendency to present what’s been termed the ‘hoped-for possible self’, and it can take a lot of time, energy and attention to curate this self across the different platforms.”
This is aside from the havoc that can be wreaked psychologically when our reality, both of our environment and our selves, doesn’t match this “hoped-for possibility.”
The panel will also address issues of multitasking, and whether or not it’s truly possible, and the ways in which social media marketers and advertisers may be contributing to attention issues.
Ultimately the conversation will hopefully encourage all of us to revisit our online activities and question whether or not we all might be a little bit ADHD.